


A Christmas Wish

by Serenity2020



Category: To the Manor Born
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:35:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28145451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serenity2020/pseuds/Serenity2020
Summary: Set for Richard and Audrey's second Christmas (after season 2)
Relationships: Richard DeVere/Audrey fforbes-Hamilton
Kudos: 6





	A Christmas Wish

Christmas on the estate this year was shaping up to be truly magical. Snow had been falling in the days before and Grantleigh looked just like a postcard. 

After getting through the first Christmas in their new homes, Audrey fforbes-Hamilton and Richard DeVere had established who was responsible for what at Christmas time and Audrey had graciously accepted his invitation to spend Christmas Day at the manor with him, his mother - affectionately known as Mrs Poo - and Marjory, Audrey’s best friend. 

They all attended midnight mass and slept in on Christmas morning. With no children or church there was no rush to be out of bed and with the snow gently falling, the call of the warm covers prevailed. Audrey thought about Richard. How she would love to sharing her bed with him, snuggled against each other, there would certainly be more reasons to stay in bed. 

Last Christmas Audrey had declined Richard’s invitation to spend the day with him. Just as she was feeling sorry for herself he had come over and a fun afternoon of games had began, starting with Sardines. Audrey giggled to herself as she remembered being squished up against Richard in the cupboard under her stairs. His body against hers, his breath light on her hair, his mouth so close to hers. And then Marjory had burst in on them. 

If she could have one Christmas wish Audrey wasn’t sure if she would pick Richard or the manor. It was a dilemma she found herself thinking about more often than she would like. The manor had always been her love and her life and she wanted to return to her rightful home. Richard DeVere was the perfect vehicle to get her there. Rich, handsome, generous, smart and charming he was a gentleman and as much as Audrey resented his presence in the manor, she couldn’t deny to herself that she was falling in love with him, more than she loved the manor. 

And therein lay the dilemma - could she pursue the man she loved and risk that he thought that she only wanted him for the manor, which she desperately did want, but that was not why she wanted him. Or did she maintain her distance with a suitable wall and then risk his interest in her deteriorating? Audrey felt their chemistry but her pride prevented her from pursuing him further. At heart, she was a romantic who already had one loveless marriage, driven by a desire to be lady of the manor, underneath her. She did not plan on making it two. 

Audrey wanted a man who was her equal in all aspects - love, friendship, attraction. Someone who loved her at her best and worst. Richard had certainly seen her at her best and worst and still seemed interested, at least enough to want to spend time with her when he could have anyone he wanted. But Audrey did not consider herself his equal, she was poor - almost destitute - and he was one of the wealthiest men in England. She could not expect him to seriously consider a relationship with someone of her low economic status. 

...

Richard stretched and yawned then turned on to his side. He had no plans of getting out of bed before 1030am Christmas morning. The week leading into Christmas was the busiest in retail and finishing it off with midnight mass meant that he was taking full advantage of a free Christmas morning. 

He only went to midnight mass to keep Audrey’s approval and the peace that had settled between them, for the most part. He could have any woman he wanted and his heart was set on Audrey. Admittedly there were times when she drove him beyond the point of frustration, especially her displeasure at his actions when his intentions were good. But there was something about her. She was elegant, smart, charming and very sexy. When she was happy, her nose crinkled in the most endearing way and when she laughed Richard felt joy. She had a wonderful sense of humour and he loved that she wasn’t intimidated by anyone. The intensity when he looked into her blue eyes was almost too much to bear and she often looked away but he had no idea what she was so afraid of. He could give her the one thing she wanted, happily, and yet she kept her distance. She was compelling to him.

Richard felt a need to protect Audrey, though he knew she would hardly consider that she needed this. He hoped that by showing her his willingness to protect her, to be her rock where Marton had clearly failed, they could be vulnerable with one another in the safety of their love. 

He wondered how her soft, lean body would feel against his, Audrey’s long legs wrapped around him. Last Christmas he was so close to kissing her when they were squashed into the cupboard together and then they were found. Through the year he had felt them getting closer and at times he thought Audrey felt the same way about him - she was quick to put an end to her school friend Podge staying at the manor when she became a possible rival for Richard’s affections - and Audrey had agreed to go to Switzerland with him, which had to be canceled when he broke his leg. 

His plaster was now off and he wondered if it wouldn’t be too late to reschedule that trip, to give them some time alone together. They were always surrounded by people - Brabinger, Marjory or his mother. 

Richard’s mind wandered back to the thought of Audrey in his arms. Naked, they would lie intertwined. On the few occasions he had had the chance to dance with Audrey, he loved the feeling of his hand on her smooth skin and he imagined her body against him, feeling his manhood stir with these thoughts. Their chemistry was palpable and yet she maintained her distance, wanting to be close but not too close and certainly not far enough away that others would stand a chance. He hoped they would be squished in a place where no one could find them when they played their Christmas games later that day. 

...

Mrs Poo excitedly welcomed Audrey just before lunch. Although they had said no presents, Audrey brought Richard his favorite bottle of Scotch as a thank you for having them. He kissed her cheek and breathed in her unique scent of shampoo, fresh air and a sweet, light, floral fragrance he has not quite figured out but was distinctly her own and very alluring. 

Marjory arrived soon after and they happily wished each other a merry Christmas. Audrey insisted on watching the Queens Christmas message before lunch and Richard did not dare argue or share his opinion on the matter. His mother also revered the queen and there was no subject with greater loyalty than Audrey. This viewing was non negotiable. 

Mrs Beecham had done a wonderful job for their lunch and they all recounted stories of past Christmas’ as they ate, drank and laughed. They laughed hardest of all about the nativity sets the year before and Ned’s questionable electrical skills work after Audrey had forbidden him to touch any more wiring. 

  
The snow was getting heavier and Audrey wondered if they should leave, worried that they may be snowed in. Richard thought how wonderful that would be and easily convinced them to stay. Wearing their party hats from the Christmas crackers they moved into the Drawing Room for more drinks and snacks. Then the games began, the first being charades which they played in teams. Audrey and Richard versus Mrs Poo and Marjory. After a comfortable win by Audrey and Richard they moved on to the game all, but Mrs Poo, was anticipating the most - a rematch of sardines. 

Mrs Poo hid first and was easily found by them all. Marjory being the first to find her as Audrey and Richard wandered aimlessly together around the manor. Audrey was in an exceptionally good mood and with her eyes twinkling from the drinks and games, Richard was feeling more amorous than normal towards her as she was so incredibly attractive to him. They laughed as they looked in different hiding holes and eventually found Mrs Poo and Marjory. 

After Marjory’s turn (who Audrey found first having known all her favourite places to hide) it was Audrey who went next. She desperately hoped Richard would find her first and that the other two would take a while longer. And Richard did find her in record time. They were in the Butler’s silver pantry which was dark and small. Richard had to press up against Audrey to fit in and they both giggled, trying to be quiet to not be found out. 

“Audrey?” he whispered. 

“Yes Richard?”

“I’m having the best day.”

“So am I.”

He desperately wanted to kiss her but her couldn’t see her. He felt for her hand and found it to hold. 

“Audrey?”

Her heart was thumping hard as his fingers rubbed gently across the hand he was holding. Would she finally get to feel his lips on hers?

“Found you!” Marjory’s voice startled them as she squeezed in against Richard. They all giggled again at the discomfort but Audrey’s heart sank as the precious moment between her and Richard was broken. 

Richard wanted to yell at Marjory for interrupting the could-be pivotal moment of his relationship with Audrey. He was so close to kissing her, he could almost feel their lips together, his tongue touching hers. He managed to find her hand again and squeeze it gently and he was delighted when she squeezed it back and rubbed her thumb against his. Maybe not all was lost. 

Finally Mrs Poo found them and the final round of Richard hiding commenced. As he had planned, Audrey was the first to find him and though there was more room in his hiding spot then hers, she pressed against him. 

“Hi again.” Richard whispered. 

“Hi yourself.” Audrey whispered back.

“Audrey?” 

“Yes?”

It was the moment, it was now or never. 

“Can I kiss you?” Richard couldn’t believe how incredibly nervous he was. Audrey created feelings in him that he had never felt before. 

“Perhaps.” she giggled. 

His hands moved so that one was on her hip and the other cupped her face. His touch created tingles on her skin and she resisted the urge to lean into him further. Even though it was dark she felt his face lower to hers and she tilted her face up so her lips could meet his. They were as soft as she had dreamed about with his moustache tickling her. 

His kiss was gentle and slow, waiting for her response and when he felt her hand move around his neck and her soft lips kissing him back he dared to slowly move his tongue across to touch hers. He heard her breath falter as their kiss deepened, both finding immense pleasure in finally giving into their desires. 

Until they were interrupted by Marjory again, causing them to jump apart awkwardly in the small space.

“Isn’t this super fun?” Marjory asked them as she leaned closer into Richard, having missed their kiss altogether.

They were soon after discovered by Mrs Poo, ending the game. Back in the Drawing Room Richard poured them all a drink and when he passed Audrey hers their fingers touched and their eyes met and conveyed a secret message of desire. They settled in for a short break from the games to pull more Christmas crackers and discuss the Boxing Day Hunt, that looked like it would be cancelled due to the snow. 

....

Audrey and Richard had both hoped for another moment alone - one kiss not being nearly enough, but between Marjory chasing Richard and Mrs Poo fussing over Audrey they were not successful. 

With the sun setting in the afternoon the estate still looked magical although the snow had not eased and Audrey was worried that they were already snowed in. 

“Not to worry, you should both stay the night here.” Richard offered. 

“Oh lovely thank you!” Marjory replied but Audrey was not so sure. 

“Are you sure?” she asked. 

Richard’s eyes were burning with desire as they met hers, “Of course. You can each have your own bedroom - as you know there’s more than we need.” he said with a smile, hoping Audrey was not concerned about any expectations of sleeping together that he might have. Of course he wanted to, when she was ready. 

“But we have no things.”

Richard laughed, “I’m sure we can manage the night.”

Audrey nodded her agreement to the arrangement and, with that decided, they settled in for the evening with more drinks and watching some TV Christmas specials. Audrey and Richard sat next to each other on the lounge their legs against each other at times and furtively touching hands.

...

When it was time for bed Richard gave Audrey and Marjory both pajama tops of his to wear as nighties and some toothpaste and toothbrush samples he had in his office. 

Audrey changed into his pajama top. It was loose on her and covered to her mid thigh. It felt sexy being in something Richard wore to bed. She tried to see if she could smell Richard’s scent on it but it was clean and smelled like detergent. Her mind wandered to their kiss and she felt her body tingle. His lips were so soft and he tasted like scotch and biscuits. She wondered what it all meant, what more he wanted and if he would visit her bedroom that night. 

Richard stood nervously outside the bedroom that Audrey was in. He didn’t want her to presume that he wanted sex, he just really wanted to spend time alone with her to kiss some more and talk about their future. He gently tapped on the door, careful to keep Marjory and his mother from hearing him. 

Audrey opened the door a little way and when she saw it was Richard in his pajamas she smiled, welcoming him in. The sight of Audrey in his pajama top stirred him. He had only briefly seen her naked legs once before - when she was tanning as part of her fake holiday to Spain - and tonight they looked as long and stunning as he had remembered and dreamed of. 

He closed the door behind him and pulled Audrey into him, his arms closing around her as he leaned down to kiss her again. This time his kiss was passionate as if his life depended on, it was still soft but it was not tentative. He wanted to kiss Audrey and he wanted her to kiss him back. 

And she did. His lips on hers, his tongue probing, his hands pressed against her back - Audrey felt her defenses leave her as her arms moved around his neck and her body melted against his as they finally acted on the sexual tension they had held for a long while now. Richard couldn’t get enough of her. Her kiss was everything he dreamed it would be and more. He started to kiss down her neck to her collarbone as Audrey caught her breath. 

“Darling, oh darling Audrey, I have wanted you for so long now.” he murmured.

Her head was fuzzy as her body fought against it. Audrey wanted to stop while she still could but her body would only respond to Richard. His lips on her skin gave her tingles she had never experienced before. He moved back to her lips and kissed her again.

When they broke and looked into each other’s eyes and Richard said, “Merry Christmas darling.”

“Merry Christmas.” she replied back with a smile as she looked into his dreamy eyes. She probably had a glass or two of champagne too many and her inhibitions left her. 

“You have made my Christmas wish come true.” he told her. 

“Did I?” 

“I have wanted to kiss you for a long time. Don’t you feel the same?”

“Occasionally.” she teased him. 

He laughed. Audrey was impossible, even when she gave into her feelings for him she still wouldn’t give in the entire way. 

“Audrey, I want us to be together. Is that something you want to?” he asked tentatively. 

She didn’t have the heart to tell him that they couldn’t be together, instead she pulled him in to kiss again. She couldn’t get enough of the feeling of his soft lips on hers. Audrey had never enjoyed kissing as much as she did with Richard. His firm body against hers created urges that she had not experienced before and she felt in danger of entirely surrendering to her sexual desires with and for him. 

He quietly moaned with pleasure as their kissing continued. She was everything he wanted and more. He had suspected that underneath her proper facade she had strong sexuality and he was eager to explore more with her. His hands slowly moved up under the her pajama top and pressed against her back as his kisses trailed down her neck again. 

Something clicked in Audrey’s brain before she totally lost herself in the moment and she stepped back, “Sorry Richard - I can’t.” 

“What? Why?” he asked confused. 

“We can’t be together.”

Audrey knew that she had to put a stop to this now, before it was too late. 

“Why not?”

“We’re not an equal match.”

Richard was gutted, after everything he had done she still wouldn’t accept him. “What - because I’m not a fforbes-Hamilton whose lived here for 1000 years?” he asked angrily. 

“No - it’s not you, it’s me. Richard, I’m practically a pauper. I have my pride.”

“I don’t care about that, I want us to be together.”

“But I do care. It’s important to me. I couldn’t bear if you thought I wanted to be with you for money, or the manor.”

“Well what’s important to me is you. And us. Being together.”

He stepped closer to her and took her hand and kissed it. “We can go slowly if that would help?”

She smiled and shook her head, “It won’t make me less of a pauper. Imagine what everyone will say - ‘she’s only with him for the manor.’ They would think your a fool. I couldn’t bear it.”

“I don’t give a damn what people say about me. If I did, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

“Maybe in business, but you care about the people here, I know you do.”

“Yes but not as much as I care about wanting us to be together. Please darling, you know we are right for each other.”

Audrey regarded him with a small smile. He was persuasive, and so damn handsome. Richard could tell he was winning her over and raised his eyebrow at her and smiled. “Please?”

“We’ll see.” 

Richard wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him again. Audrey's arms automatically went around his neck and they looked into each others eyes. His hands went under her shirt again and rubbed the skin on her back. She gave a soft moan at the feeling of his warm hands on her. Their kiss deepened as Audrey hands moved into his hair and held his face against hers. Richard's hands moved into her pants and held her bottom against him. She could feel his erection against her body and it was turning her on.

"Darling," she murmured, "Let's move to the bed."

"Are you sure?" he asked her. 

"I've never wanted anything more."

On the bed, they slowly unbuttoned the other's pajama tops while they kissed. Audrey ran her hands over Richard's chest finding that he had the perfect amount of hair and she could not wait to feel him against her body. When Audrey's shirt was unbuttoned, Richard slowly removed it from her body and kissed her neck, sensing how much she enjoyed it before. He paused to look at her body and he gasped with delight at the sight of her naked breasts.

"Is everything alright?' Audrey asked nervously.

"It's perfect, like you." he replied as he put his mouth over one of her rosy buds and nipped and sucked on it.

"Oh Richard." she moaned at the sensations he was creating in her, not used to being made love to like this.

Richard loved hearing Audrey's response to him and his manhood throbbed with need. Audrey nerves about having sex after such a long time faded as her desire for Richard to fill her overtook and she pulled down his pants so that she could feel his velvet hardness in her hands. Now Richard moaned at her touch, as Audrey gently stroked his erection which felt so big in her hands. A drop of cum appeared and she used her finger to rub it over his tip making Richard moan her name again. With the woman of his dreams satisfying his arousal he nearly came, but he wanted to control their making love, so that it was amazing for Audrey, and he refused to let himself go.

Instead, he removed her underpants and slipped his fingers into her private folds. She was already wet and he groaned at the feeling of her warmth. His fingers found her sweet spot and Audrey cried with surprise and delight as he stroked her. He moved his mouth from her breast back to her lips and as they stimulated each other they kissed with wanton abandon until they could not take it any more and had to be joined.

Richard had to ask again, not wanting Audrey to feel any regret afterwards, "Are you sure it's alright darling?"

"I need you Richard darling, I need you now." she replied sexily and kissed him as she positioned herself underneath him and spread her legs in anticipation. He groaned in readiness and desire and his tip pressed against her tight entrance.

"I don't want to hurt you." he whispered.

"I want you too." she replied, her need for him so strong that she wanted him to make his mark on her.

Richard slowly pushed his huge, hard member into her tight wetness, and almost came from the sensations she gave him. He heard her take in her breath as his full length penetrated her and she wrapped her long legs around him to take all of him in.

"Oh Richard." she moaned in satisfaction.

Hearing her call his name was too much and he began to thrust in and out of her, loving her moans as she took him in and contracted around him. It didn't take long until her pulses were so strong he could feel the waves of her orgasm and he lost control, his final erratic thrusts pushing him over the edge until her exploded in her and called her name.

He fell exhausted on to her and she wrapped her arms around him. She enjoyed the feeling of his weight on her, in fact she had enjoyed their love making more than she ever had before. She had suspected Richard would be a good lover and he was exceptional. 

He fell to the side and pulled her into his arms. "Was that alright for you darling?" he asked with concern. She was so tight, he hoped he had not hurt her.

"It was amazing - how about for you?" she asked shyly. Her previous experience with Marton was so different, she wasn't sure if she was a good lover.

Richard kissed her, "It was more than amazing. You're everything I had hoped for and more. I love you darling." and it was true. Audrey was a wonderful lover, she was open with him to pleasure her, which he loved, and she cared about pleasuring him. He had never experienced an orgasm like the one he just had.

"I want you to marry me." he murmured.

"I hope that's not your proposal." Audrey laughed.

"No, I will do it properly, and soon. I just want you to know that that is what I want. If you don't, I want to know so that I can devote my time to convincing you."

Audrey laughed and he was caught off guard by how sexy it was. "I could be persuaded." she teased him.

Richard growled and then started to tickle her. She squealed with surprise and delight and then remembered that they needed to keep their voices low. Richard started to madly kiss her body and Audrey laughed. Soon they were kissing and foreplay started for another round of lovemaking after which they fell asleep, sated and intertwined.

...

The next morning Audrey woke up snuggled into Richard with his arm around her, both naked. She watched him as he slept peacefully. She loved his profile, it was strong like him, with his perfect nose, tidy moustache, slightly crooked top teeth and cleft in his chin. He stirred under her gaze and his eyes opened, focusing on her. He smiled, knowing that that their time together was not a dream. 

"Good morning darling." Audrey whispered and she leaned over to kiss him.

"It wasn't a dream?"

"No." she smiled.

"I'm so happy darling." he returned her smile.

"Me too. You made my Christmas wish come true." Audrey replied and Richard pulled her closer.

This was the best start to Boxing Day either of them had ever had and they didn't plan on leaving the bed anytime soon.


End file.
